Diamond Tears
by Whitefeather
Summary: An accident forces Seifer to reunite with Rinoa after the game, but not in the usual sense... how will he tell Squall he couldn't save her life?


Diamond Tears  
  
Whitefeather  
  
Notes- I promised to write more for Final Fantasy VIII after I finished the one-piece work 'An Angel's Tears', which got me more reviews than I did ever imagine. I know I promised that if I got over 15 reviews (I ended at 26) I'd keep going with FF8. But I lied for the time being- I went on to write FFX, Animorphs, Sailor Moon, stuff like that. Well I'm back. I wrote part of this about a year ago, and decided to finish it. I'm in the middle of writing my six-part Sailor Moon epic, but this is something I promised long ago, so here it is. ^^ Enjoy! Usual disclaimers apply. To Jess, my bff.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was a typical autumn's evening; but unusual for the time of year was the snow beginning to fall. The forests around Balamb and the parked Garden were silent- the monsters gone away to hibernate for the upcoming winter. The only sound was the crisp and light sound of the pure snow falling onto the branches and ground all about the forests, and the footsteps of a young girl on her way home from town. She had soft brown eyes, so soft they seemed to reflect the falling snow; and her hair, black as midnight's gown cascaded like a waterfall down her side. She herself was as pure as the snow about her, and was as slow moving as the winds on the cold autumn day. But she was obviously happy about something- about the absoluteness in the snow that was beginning to cover her black hair and her blue sweater.  
  
As Rinoa walked through the forest, she knew when to stop and breathe- it was rare that anyone saw the true beauty of nature with the monsters intimidating children and adults alike. She didn't have Diablos, or any GF for that matter equipped, yet she was confident in her powers, and their ability to protect her. She trusted in herself more so than in the beings that were entrusted long ago with the magic infused by her ancestors- she knew that as long as she kept her aura about her, she would ward off any lingering beasts native to the area in these times. For a moment she stopped, and looked about her. She had come to a clearing, and the beauty was overwhelming. The trees surrounding her seemed to touch the sky, and go even beyond all comprehension. It made her seem so small, so free- so indifferent to the world about her. It reminded her that she was a part of it all- of the world her great ancestor Hyne once created for her and the people she loved. This was the reason she took the long way from the town- so she could see the natural state meant for the planet. This was her place in the world. Her place. No one else knew about it.  
  
Without warning, a rustle in the bushes to the west. She stopped, for nothing should. nothing could be out this late in the evening, and especially not at this time of year. A quick scan spell proved this theory wrong, though, and she silently cursed and began a quick run toward the Garden to the east. Yet the stomping of her feet was drowned out by the roar behind her. The roar as that of a T-Rexaur. 'Not good.' she thought, 'why the hell is there a T-Rexaur out this late in the season?'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was quite often that the forests of Balamb's plains were graced with the presence of Seifer- he had nowhere else to turn to besides the lonefull presence of falling leaves unto snow. He never spoke, never harmed anything; just sat, lost in the thoughts of days long gone and times long past. He knew the forest like the back of his hand, and knew how to beat the bush, so to say. So when he heard the cries of a familiar voice, he knew something was wrong. He started off toward the sound in the fastest run he could muster.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Only when Rinoa heard a roar in front of her as well as in back of her did she know she was trapped. The irony of it all. to finally die, but after the war I was in. to die alone, when I'm finally promised to another for life. but I won't die like this. with that thought complete, she slowed down to a stop and readied her magic, though she knew it would only ease the pain; if anything.  
  
The first attack was expected- a tail hit from the east's demon- so she was able to brace herself. The second attack wasn't as lucky though- somehow, the first T-Rexaur attacked twice in a row. The blows rendered Rinoa shocked, and she fell with little left. She raised her hand for a sure spell, but the second knocked it down. She was rendered helpless- her magic hand broken from the impact and her body collapsed from the prior attack. They both roared in victory, and she knew what to do. One had moved next to the other, and a kamikaze spell would render one dead. She would have revenge on one. She wasn't going down without a fight. She readied herself.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Faster than most life, Seifer ran to find the cause of the yell for help. The feeling inside him was killing him- he knew- just knew- that something was the matter. He just wanted to get there, to save whomever it was that was taking over this moment in his life. Terror was gripping him- and he knew it wouldn't be long until- -he saw it. Rinoa. Glowing red. Getting ready for a kamikaze spell. His heart froze. Because she was done- the spell was completed. The only girl he'd loved in his entire life, laying there, killing herself slowly. He could only sit and watch as she pulled the glaring red aura towards herself then towards the being roaring before her. The power surge was amazing- her sorceress powers exemplified the spell, and she shot forth into the beast and into death itself. He realized that he was running toward the viscous battle only after it was complete- he had raced towards the extra beast and struck it down with a single blow from his Hyperoin. Only the sound of the great beast falling behind him as well as one in front made him turn, realizing the horror- filled truth. Rinoa was as good as dead.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Wordlessly, at first, he raced and fell next to his former girlfriend's limp form. Her breathing was labored, and even he could tell she didn't have much longer to live. Her eyes, as beautiful as the pure snow still falling about them, opened and stared into his.  
  
"Why are you here. Seifer." she asked, her entire body shivering from the sudden gust of cold wind. It was hard for her to talk, Seifer noticed, so he silenced her.  
  
"Shh, Rinny, it's gonna be ok. it's gonna be ok." He kept saying this to her, praying that he was right, praying with his soul, with his everything, that Rinoa would answer him. She looked so faint and small now, a beautiful light aura sill surrounding her. He knew it was the sorceress powers giving way to her departing body and soul- but it made her look more like an angel than anything does. He still loved her, he suddenly realized. And he needed to apologize.  
  
"Rin. Rinny. I'm." he'd never known how hard it was to say sorry, but she apparently did. Taking his hand in her fading hand, she simply shook her head. Speaking in a voice like that from an angel fading into death that she was, she simply said, "Seifer. you don't need. need to say. sorry. I understand."  
  
Her understanding made him want to cry. It had taken this long, all these years to get it out. And only now, when she was about to leave him forever did he get to have her again. So wrapped up in worry over the future, he was snapped back to reality when her voice shot out across the snow-covered forest. "Seifer. promise me this. please bring my body. to the Garden. and tell my dad I'm. sorry. and Quisty. and Selphie. and Squall. oh god." her voice cracked at that point, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her tight and protect her from the world. ".Tell him I love. love him so much. and I'm sorry I have to. to miss. our. wedding." her voice was becoming more and more faint, and he gripped her hand closer. Her words were becoming harder and harder to say, and he could barely understand them. With a sudden last gasp for air, she whispered the words he'd wished to hear his whole life to him. "Seifer, it's so cold. so cold. hold me." And so he held her, both of them crying, as the sun went down across the snowy plains. She passed away the second the sun touched the ground, and her soul and warmth seemed to drain into the snow beneath their bodies. He held her, long after she was gone, crying, only wanting her back.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Worried about his fiancé, Squall Leonheart raced down the newly installed stairs, cursing the meeting, which had made him so late. As he approached the doors, he saw a figure there, holding a body, illuminated by the last light of the evening reflecting off the snow. He recognized the figure immediately, and sunk down onto the floor underneath him. It was as though his life had slipped away- as wordlessly Seifer walked in and placed her body on the couch in the lobby next to the floor Squall was on. Tears evident on his face, Seifer turned and without looking towards Squall said his promise. "She made me promise that I'd bring her here and I'd tell you she was sorry to miss the wedding, and she loved you. You know, Squall, she really loved you." With that, and the thousands of diamond tears on his cheek, he began to walk away. A voice form behind him stopped him from walking away though.  
  
"Seifer. thank-you." With that, he turned and ran back to the brother he's always had and they held one another, their diamond tears becoming one.  
  
End Notes- I didn't like the ending terribly much. If anyone has any ideas on a better ending, or writes me one, I'll put it up. As long as there's a twist, I don't mind. ^^ Thanks for reading! 


End file.
